Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #8: Show Don’t Tell
You’ve heard it ever since you started writing. Show, Don’t Tell. You know what it means. You really do. But do you? Learn more.
writing tips
Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #7: Character Arcs
All your characters — major and minor — need their own arc. I explain why.
Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #6: Authentic Characters
What happens when your characters do something that’s not in their nature? How do you know? What do you do to get them back on track? Find out in Writing Lite #6.
Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #4: The End
In Writing Lite #2 we talked about opening sentences. Now in Writing Lite #4 we go to the other end of the chapter.
Nanowrimo Video Writing Lite Tip #1 — Suspense
Hi, all. In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I’ve decided to repost my Writing Lite video series. I hope you find them useful, even if you’re not participating. There are twelve videos, and none are over four minutes– most are under three. I’ll try to post a few each week so you have them … Read more
Writing Lite Tip 50: Never pay for a review
Enough said? You don’t need to pay for reviews. You can find reviewers online, on Facebook (Check Reviewing groups), Twitter, Google+, and more. Some kind souls have even made lists of reviewers who will review self-published books, but you’ll have to check to see how timely they are. Make sure you craft a respectful, polite … Read more
Writing Lite Tip 45: Make Sure Slang Is Accurate
…Especially if you’re writing about a time or setting that’s unfamiliar. Check regional or foreign slang on the internet; listen to people from that particular place on YouTube, or make some calls to suss out how folks really talk to each other. If you’re writing historicals, the reference librarian at your local library will be … Read more
Writing Lite Tip #41: To create suspense, first think of a worst-case scenario…
A fundamental task in creating suspense is to confront your protagonist with obstacles and hurdles he or she must overcome. Then, just as he/she thinks they have a handle on the situation, it becomes even worse. One of the best examples I’ve read is in William Kent Krueger’s Purgatory Ridge. Two mothers and their children … Read more
Nanowrimo Video Writing Tip #12 — CASTS
In the last Writing Lite tip, I share a simple but profound structure for writing and editing a chapter that I think is fantastic. It was created by Crime writer Nancy Picard, who is one of the most talanted authors I know. It combines everything you need to know about plot and character, and I … Read more
Nanowrimo Video Writing Tip #7 — Character Arcs
All your characters, whether major or minor, have their own character ARC. That means they change. It may be a small change; it may be a huge one. But to write fiction is to write about characters, and unless they are stereotypes you include for a reason, a three-dimensional character needs to change. Here’s more. … Read more